Device for convenient measurement of spatially varying bidirectional reflectance

Capturing surface appearance is a challenging task because reflectance varies as a function of viewing and illumination direction. In addition, most real-world surfaces have a textured appearance, so reflectance also varies spatially. We present a texture camera that can conveniently capture spatially varying reflectance on a surface. Unlike other bidirectional imaging devices, the design eliminates the need for complex mechanical apparatus to move the light source and the camera over a hemisphere of possible directions. To facilitate fast and convenient measurement, the device uses a curved mirror so that multiple views of the same surface point are captured simultaneously. Simple planar motions of the imaging components also permit change of illumination direction and region imaging. We present the current prototype of this device, imaging results, and an analysis of the important imaging properties.